Botanical Name:Narcissus jonquilla
Family: Amaryllidaceae
Subfamily:Amaryllidoideae
Kingdom: Plantae
Order: Asparagales
Genus: Narcissus
Species:N. jonquilla
Common Names: Jonquil or Rush daffodil.
Habitat: Jonquil is native to Spain and Portugal but has now become naturalised in many other regions: France, Italy, Turkey, the former Yugoslavia, Madeira, British Columbia in Canada, Utah, Illinois, Ohio, and the southeastern United States from Texas to Maryland. It prefers to grow on Rocky hillsides, often on limestone, also in meadows and damp places.
Description: Narcissus jonquilla is a BULB growing to 0.3 m (1ft) by 0.1 m (0ft 4in). It bears long, narrow, rush-like leaves (hence the name “jonquil”, Spanish junquillo, from the Latin juncus = “rush”). In late spring it bears heads of up to five scented yellow or white flowers. It is a parent of numerous varieties within Division 7 of the horticultural classification. Division 7 in the Royal Horticultural Society classification of Narcissus includes N. jonquilla and N. apodanthus hybrids and cultivars that show clear characteristics of those two species.
Cultivation:
The plant prefers a deep rather stiff soil but succeeds in most soils. Grows well in heavy clay soils. Easily grown in a dry sunny position. Prefers an alkaline soil with a pH between 7 and 8. A very ornamental plant, it is widely cultivated around the Mediterranean for its essential oil. The blooms, which are almost intoxicatingly scented, have an undertone of orange in their perfume. The double form, ‘flora Pleno’ is even more powerfully scented.
Propagation:
Seed – best sown as soon as it is ripe in a cold frame. A short stratification will improve the germination of stored seed. Sow the seed thinly so that the seedlings can be left undisturbed in the pot for their first two years of growth. Give them an occasional liquid feed in the growing season to ensure they do not become nutrient deficient. When the plants become dormant in the summer, pot up the small bulbs placing 2 – 3 bulbs in each pot. Grow them on for another one or two years in the greenhouse before planting them out when they are dormant in late summer. Division of bulbs after the leaves die down in early summer. Larger bulbs can be replanted immediately into their permanent positions, or can be stored in a cool place and then be planted out in the autumn. It is best to pot up the smaller bulbs and grow them on for a year before planting them out when dormant in the autumn.
Edible Uses:
Flowers are eaten- raw or candied and made into desserts.
Medicinal Uses:
No medicinal uses could be found nby us.
Other Uses: An essential oil obtained from the flowers is used in perfumery. 1 kg of flowers yields 1g absolute of essential oil.
Known Hazards:Although no records could be found for this species, many if not all members of this genus are poisonous.
Disclaimer : The information presented herein is intended for educational purposes only.
Resources:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Narcissus_jonquilla
https://pfaf.org/user/Plant.aspx?LatinName=Narcissus+jonquilla
